Passion
by disgraceful flaw
Summary: Fable crossovered into modern day terms. Rated for violence and content.


This was actually an English assignment. We had to write a fable and this is what I came up with. I figured it was at least sharable for anyone that wanted to read it. Criticism is always great.

Deep within the secluded forest lied secrets that were not met to be released to the outside world. Situations that had occurred on several occasions were not reported, but kept locked within the souls of those that saw and knew what had happened. The past always seemed to come back and haunt those that chose to try and live with it. You just couldn't know for sure what would happen next. It drove some mad and others to the point where they couldn't take living anymore. Sad it was to say, but the truth always had a way of hitting a weakness there. All they could do was attempt to ignore it.

Margaret was one of the most beautiful specimens in the forest. Her eyes were deep and brought forth a warm illumination to anyone that had conversation with her. Her body was full of brilliant brown feathers that fell perfectly in place on her petite figure. A dark orange hue covered her chest and glowed when it sat at bay in the sun. She was flawless. Well, flawless in looks anyway.

When Margaret was still a small bird in her mother's nest, a snake attacked her. She amazingly escaped the evil creature, but it came with a price. She wasn't able to fly. The small amount of venom the snake had in its fangs was just enough to paralyze her right wing. Ever since that tragic day, her wing had not moved. She became dependent on others to take care of her. Deep in her heart she was grateful she had survived. There was also a part of her that wished she wouldn't have survived though. The one thing she was met to be able to do was shattered. She was useless in every way possible. She only wished she could fly and be like everyone else.

After nights of endless prayer and wishing, she finally received what it appeared to be the answer. It was late in the night when he came. The darkness engulfed his entire being so much that she didn't know if he was real or just a figment of her imagination. When he finally stepped out of the shadows, she knew he was real.

"Margaret." The name softly escaped the stranger's lips.

Her head perched up as she stared at the silhouette of what looked to be a bat. It was rare to see such a creature in the area. That didn't bother her as much as the fact that he knew her name. "Who are you?"

There was a brief silence before he spoke again. "My name is Alex."

Margaret froze as she watched him walk closer to where she sat. She didn't know if he met her harm. In her mind she even contemplated calling out for help. She was tired of being dependent though. All she wanted in the world was to be able to care of herself and not have to put a dander on those she loved.

"Is there anyway I can be of assistance?" She tried to be polite and act natural. She didn't want to show the fear that was beginning to grow the more and more she watched him.

"I think the question is how can I be of assistance to you." He swiftly returned the answer.

"What … do you mean?" Her voice was starting to falter. She was regretting not calling for help. Would it be too late to still call out? Or would he attack her before she had a chance to react. Whatever the solution now, there would be an everlasting consequence.

He stepped closer to her, his features coming more into focus. His entire body was black. The only hint of color came from the moonlight that shun down into his eyes. He held a certain sleek charm to him that was hard to resist. Slowly, his tongue crept out and licked his lips before he uttered the deadly proposition he had in store for her.

"I can make you mobile again, Margaret." There was a slight hesitation before he continued. "I have been watching you for some time now. Your … _passion_ … has struck me. You long to fly. You hope and you pray and you wish … I could make this dream of yours come true."

A look of shock spread over Margaret's face as she stared wide eye at Alex. What he had said filled her with both hope and despair. He was offering her what was impossible. She always wanted to believe there was some way that she could be normal again. His words made that belief grow inside her. But what if he wasn't telling the truth? What if this was all some sick game? It was all down to her. She had to make the first independent choice of her life and it happened to be the biggest.

"How? How can you make me fly?" Her voice was barely audible. He seemed to hear every word anyhow.

Alex's large wing lifted out and his fingers untangled and stretched in her direction. "Just give me your hand." He ignored her question completely.

For a moment, there was only one thing on her mind. _Freedom_. She could finally be able to travel and catch her own food. The biggest trees, she would fly to the top and see the sky in its entirety. Her body went out of her own control as she lifted her good wing out and touched the cold flesh of the sneaky bat.

Before she could have time to react, he flung himself on top of her. Her back hit the ground violently behind her as she struggled to scream. A sharp pain burned on her neck as she felt the bat's fangs seep into her flesh. She could feel the blood escaping the wound quickly as he drank the crimson liquid rapidly. Her life force was draining away and there was nothing she could do but wait for it to pass her by. She was so blinded by her want to fly that she couldn't see what was happening. Laying there dying, the truth finally revealed itself to her. He wasn't going to give her a life; he was going to take it away.

As Margaret laid there somewhere between life and death, she realized that she was flawless the way she was before. She didn't need to be able to fly to fit in with the others. She was loved and taken care of for. The loss of her life was the marking of why nothing escaped the forest. Perfection was so overpowering that everyone went to great lengths to get it. In life or death, it was natural. The world was fading into nothing but a selfish struggle to be better than one another. Like a disease, it would contaminate everyone. In the deep forest it was contained.

Copyright © 2005


End file.
